Doug Guler ? The TelegraphCaitlyn Kretzschmar rises up to head a ball during Folsom's 1-0 win over Laguna Creek on Thursday.

A resurgent Folsom Bulldogs girls? soccer team advanced past the first round of the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I playoffs, beating Laguna Creek 1-0 on Thursday at Prairie City Stadium.
Folsom?s first playoff game in two years was sealed early, as Bridgid McCurry assisted Alyssa Jara in the 29th minute of the first half. Both teams entered the first round having shutout back-to-back league opponents, but it was Folsom that walked away with a chance at defending section champion Davis Sr. High in the second round.
Laguna Creek qualified for playoffs the first time in more than a decade this year. Folsom, however, was unbeaten in nearly 20 games and played with the confidence they?ve earned.
Chances for an insurance marker were attempted by the Bulldogs, including a wave of surges into Laguna Creek?s box in the last 20 minutes. Their six shots in the first half and eight in the second at least kept a defensive Laguna Creek team pretty quiet on all offensive fronts.
Jara took most of the shots, including almost dribbling one in at about the 30th minute. MacKenzie Moreno banged a 50-yard strike off the crossbar in the 52nd and Jenny Hackelman?s follow was called offside.
Midfielder Paige Harrison played a key role in quality chances on goal. Finding Caitlyn Kretzschmar in the 53rd and Jara a few times around the 70th were among them.
Folsom?s possession kept Laguna Creek from making any legitimate late pushes against goalkeeper Allison Hart. She was challenged once in the seventh minute, to which Folsom responded, and again in the 44th on a shot lofted over the goal.
This type of 1-0 win will be tougher to secure against future section opponents Davis (20-2-2) and possibly St. Mary?s of Stockton (26-1-0).
Davis beat Folsom 5-0 in an exhibition game last season and Laguna Creek 1-0 and 3-0 this season.
Jara and Coach Mike McBride both expect a knock-down, drag-out match.
?I know for sure the next game is going to be way harder,? Jara said. ?Our girls need to be ready for that. We had good attacking and our defense was solid again, but we?ll see where it goes from there.?
?With Davis it?s like, we play there, they beat us. We play here, we beat them. It?s a pretty good little game,? McBride said. ?We?ll surprise Davis. Last year?s team is different than this year?s team. Theirs? is about the same, ours is a lot different.?
The difference has improved Folsom to 14-0-3 overall. They won six-straight before tying Ponderosa and another six-straight before that.
Davis tied Franklin in its final league game before beating Napa in the first round.
The game will be at 3:30 p.m. at Folsom High on Tuesday, unless both teams decide on a different time.